When You're Combining Two Countries in One Trip, Which Travel Agent Is the One to Use?

< p>[#image: /photos/53db1c666dec627b14a19f67]||||||< p>An excellent question has come in from readers Linda and Joe regarding how to use my list of the < ahref="/travel-tips/travel-specialists/2008/08/Wendy-s-Rolodex-of-Travel-Specialists">best travel agents and tour companies who specialize in specific countries. They're planning a trip to Spain and Portugal:< p>"We notice that you recommend < ahref="http://portugaldeluxe.com/">Mario Sacramento for Portugal and < ahref="http://madeforspain.com/">Virginia Irurita for Spain. We've always used a single travel agent to make our arrangements andwant to better understand the process when working with two agents. We'd appreciate your thoughts on how best to coordinate activities, air and auto rental hand-offs, schedules, etc. In cases such as these, is it customary for the agents to work together to ensure a quality hand-off? Thank you very much for your assistance." < p>It's certainly easier to use one travel agent than two. The big question, when your trip covers multiple countries, is: Should you use multiple travel specialists--the ones listed for all the countries on your itinerary--or only one? And, if only one, then which one?< p>The answer: There's no formula whatsoever. It all depends on which countries, which travel agents, and how long you're spending in each place. So, if you're stymied, email me. (Please use the perrinfeedback@cntraveler.com address.) I'll be able to tell you pretty quickly who to book through. In the case of Spain and Portugal, for instance, Linda and Joe should book through Virginia, who is accustomed to working with Mario and can be trusted to pull both countries together into one cohesive, hassle-free plan.< p>If you want to read or post user reviews of the travel specialists, by the way, you can do so < ahref="/perrin-post/travel_specialist_user_reviews/index">here.